Hoste scratches from Nokere-Koerse

Omega Pharma-Lotto rider Leif Hoste is still suffering from back problems that flared-up at Tirreno-Adriatico and will not be racing in tomorrow's Nokere-Koerse in Belgium.

“Everything was progressing well. But in the end it was still too much of a burden to Leif Hoste's back after his training on Monday,” said team manager Henry Redant.

It looks like Hoste will have to wait until later this month before he is cleared for competition. "It is better for him to not race and certainly not to force it. Dwars door Vlaanderen will probably be his first race after his retirement in Tirreno-Adriatico.”

This is bad news for Hoste's build up for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, where he is expected to play a key supporting role for teammate Philippe Gilbert.

With Hoste off the roster for this mid-week Flemish semi-classic, Omega Pharma-Lotto is sending a reduced team. “We must do Nokere-Koerse with seven riders because it was too short of time to call anyone else,” said Redant.

Nokere-Koerse comes just three days before Milan-Sanremo and gives riders not selected a chance to show their abilities.

Five of the past seven editions of the Nokere-Koerse have ended in a field sprint on the Nokereberg, a cobbled six-percent climb which is completed ten times. This berg is sure to put the sting into rider's legs.

Last year' winner was Australian Graeme Brown and he is again toeing the line for Rabobank .